Untouchable- Unimpeachable

What would it be like to live a life that is unimpeachable? Job lived such a life: “In the land of Uz, there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright. He feared God and shunned evil” (Job 1:1-2).  His life was so impeccable that God pointed him out as an exemplary model two times: “One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “from roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it.” Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil” (Job 2:1-2)

The devil readily admitted that he had being going to and fro looking for someone, but he could find no one worthy of his attention. That is, until God suggested that he consider his servant, Job. Job declares, “If I have walked in falsehood or my foot has hurried after deceit let god weigh me in honest scales and he will know that I am blameless” (Job 31:5-6).

Job served and honored God even when he lost that he held dear. He lost all of his personal possessions. For most, a loss of business, home, and possessions would have constituted more than enough to signal a rapid departure from serving God, but not for Job. After listening to what appears to be a relentless list of losses, he  still stuck with God. Even when he learned that all of his children also died, he continued to serve God.  His wife thought he would do better by simply cursing God, but he replied:”Is it right to serve God when he gives good and not also bad?”

When the devil failed to get Job to turn on God, he retorted, “Won’t a man serve you since you protect his very life?”(Job 2:3). God had so much faith in Job that He responded, “You can touch him except, do not kill him. Satan immediately left and went to torment Job with grievous boils” Even then, suffering, Job refused to curse God. But why?

He lived an unimpeachable life. God placed the life being lived by Job as the gold standard. If I were to be indicted based on how I lived, would I be convicted based on righteous living? Could God really trust me to be faithful when all I loved and valued was stripped from my hands? Some in history have had to answer that question. For some individuals like Corrie Ten Boom  hat answer was yes. For others, like Elie Wiesel, Hitler’s concentrations ere bigger than his god.  

So many say the right words but do not live the life that they claim. They do not live above the norm.  Every day, it seems some politician, teacher, or even religious leader is in the news for living duplicitious lives. Their lives are not untouchable. Humbly, I submit that I want to live a life that is unimpeachable. I want my record to remind people of who God truly is. I want to live a life that gets God’s attention- a life that is thankful even when things do not go my way or even if disaster strikes. God rewarded Job's faith, and He will reward yours.

Listening,

MJ

Hind's Feet

^{"The Lord God is my strength, and he has made my feet like hinds' feet, and makes me walk on my high places." (Habakkuk 3:19 and also found in (Psalm 18:33).}

I  feel that I go through the day checking boxes trying to get to the prize at the bottom of the box- going to Africa. As I put on my war gear, I suit up with military paraphernalia on my back. It is quite heavy, and when I am about to fall out of the race, someone comes and readdresses my slipping backpack, replacing it securely on my shoulders. I turn to see Sheryl behind me. When my feet slip on the slippery slopes of the perilous mountain climb, a push from behind propels my leverage toward the hill’s summit.  It is Liz’s firm shove.

Israel Houghton is now singing the song, “I am not Forgotten.” The lyrics proclaim that God has not forgotten me, never forsaken me, for He knows my name. That is so very important now because at times like these, it is easy for the enemy to come in and accuse God. Others can and will disappoint, but not Adonai. 

In this season, I have learned one valuable lesson: do not agree with the enemy or my own limited perception of reality. For in a little while,  I feel a fresh breeze of Holy Spirit and hear His whisper, “Keep going” when Carolyn calls and tells me she wants to pray for me before I head abroad. See, you are not alone. I will never leave you or forsake. I have told you that over 360 times in My Word.

One of the greatest blessings I have received in this season actually came from two young warriors, my students, Melissa and Stephanie, who on the last day of regular classes, pulled me into the hall to pray and commission  me for my work in Africa. It was an awesome honor and encouragement that I will take with me to continent. Their sacrificial release to bless the children of Africa, especially girls, moved the heavens on the behalf of the continent and every person in that high school building.

There is a caution here: we can't go up without God. The Israelites did not move until God did. But that lesson is for another day.

Still Clinmbing,

MJ

Sumo Wrestler

 

Do you ever feel put upon by the will of God? You know when He asks you to do something you really rather not – like not only forgive, but marry the person who treated you like the bottom of her foot? Sometimes, it feels like your entrails are being pulled out  . . . by horses …  wild horses.

I feel like a sumo wrestler – a pretend-one in the bulky costume. The fat body suit covers me, but does nothing to disguise that I am not the body portrayed on the outside.  It’s hard to move in that suit. Sadness and despair slow me down.  Daily pressures add more weight.

You see, I have had many challenges recently. They seem to come in double digits. I go in for an oil change, and come out with the check engine light on, the need for new brakes, a broken axle, something about realignment, after I get some brushes, and I forgot, I need the 60 month maintenance done- a whopping total of 2000 dollars, which I don’t have.

All of this comes after going in to see my doctor only to learn that I have two infections and need major surgery to remove fibroid tumors that have been causing my severe anemia. Oh, the surgery is supposed to lay me up for six weeks and might cause infertility- but God. When it rains, it certainly pours. What to do with these seasons in life where everything that could go wrong seems to go that direction?

I have decided that God has an answer for each of these problems, because I certainly don’t.  I choose not to get hysterical. I take one step at a time; I trust that something good will come out of this seeming mess. For example, when I was reminded that I had not done my state inspection, I remembered that I had not placed my state sticker on my car either. I asked God to help me remember where I had placed it. I went right to it. It seems like a small thing, but it helped center me. God’s got every detail. Which doctor to perform my surgery and when? What to fix and when on the car. I can trust him in the big and little details.

In my sumo-wrestler suit, I look silly and awkward. I should really take that thing off, and let God take the blows for me. Actually, He already did on Calvary: "He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? " (Romans 8:32). I say like Paul, I am down, but not out:

 

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.  We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;  persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.  We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.  (2 Corinthians 4:7-10)

Taking a Load off,

M.J.

P.S.
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Suffering : A Profound Grace

Peter manages to call suffering a grace and asks us to stand firm: " My purpose in writings is to encourage you and assure you that what you are experiencing  is only part of God's grace for you. Stand firm in that grace" (I Peter 5:12).Some may think that suffering for good  is impossible, yet, nothing is expendable in God's economy. But, God wants to make suffering transformative. Can I trust God? Yes, I can  trust God not to waste one tear, one agonizing cry, one sleepless hour, one mind-numbing and soul-searing cry, to make of those wretched things a profound grace.

Because He experienced suffering, He left me an example of how to suffer and end victoriously, not broken, defeated, or bitter. The three Hebrew servants obeyed God and were thrown into the fire. In the fire even Shadrach, Meshcah , and Abednego, came out without even the smell of fire.  Wow! There's a reward of integrity and obedience. But don't be dismayed; their crucible of pain will buy them a front-row seat to personal deliverance by Jesus himself in His Pre-incarnate form. Daniel too obeyed and blessed the King who sent him to the lion's den. Then, God shut the lion's mouth (Daniel 6:28).


"Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, "Weren't there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?"
"They replied, "Certainly, O king."
"He said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods."
"Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, "Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!" "So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them."
The king had to announce that "No other god can save in this way" (Daniel 3:22-29).

Our goal should be that somehow, we leave the fire whole with Peace. Peace is wholeness spirit, soul, and body. Peace is a person: Sar Shalom. Y'Shua will be in the furnace with you. Truthfully, "And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you" (I Peter 5:10). Those around you will declare with awe like Nebuchadnezzar that Your God is the one true God.

A Fellow Sufferer,
MJ